Propelling Fitness To New Heights

Sugar, it isn’t always so sweet to your body

With Halloween coming quickly, I felt it relevant to share a fantastic posting through the American Council on Exercise which discusses the negative effects that “Sugar” has on ones’ body. Who can deny our societies love for “Sugar”? Shoot, I cannot even deny my own sweet tooth cravings at times. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes roughly 47 pounds of sugar and 35 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year. Wow, if I were to have guessed at how much “Sugar” I consume, my guess would have been pretty far off. With so much “Sugar” being consumed, this being simple table sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, it is important for us to understand the effects it is having on our bodies.

Let’s examine “Sugars” effects on our bodies from head to toe:

Brain: Sugar impairs memory

UCLA researchers found that fructose may actually damage memory and slow learning. Results of the studies with rats showed that sugar can affect neural connections in the brain and have a detrimental effect on these functions.

Stomach: Increases appetite

Sugar is fantastic at providing us with little more than empty calories that seem to aid us with putting on those unwanted extra pounds. Researchers are finding that the consumption of “Sugar” may trigger you to eat even more calories. This study out of Yale, found evidence suggesting that fructose may actually increase appetite by interfering with the body’s satiety hormones.

Circulatory System: Increase the risk for heart disease

New research is suggesting that sugar is having a big impact on heart health. Certain levels of sugar intake may even double the risk of heart disease. This being from the increased risk factors; being sugars effect on weight, blood pressure, triglycerides and negative impact on insulin.

Mouth: Creates a breeding ground for bacteria

Eating sugar increases the acidity in your mouth creating a perfect environment for bacteria. Increased bacteria can wreak havoc on tooth enamel and cause plaque and gingivitis that can lead to periodontal disease in not controlled.

Pancreas: Increased risk in developing diabetes

After a thorough review of over 175 countries; scientists found a direct correlation between rising levels of sugar in the food supply and rising rates of diabetes, independent of obesity rates.

Heart, Joints: Increase joint inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a contributing cause of processed sugars and other refined carbohydrates. This has been shown to have various negative effects on the body from increased risk of heart disease to muscle and joint pain.

Entire Body: Affects energy levels

Simple carbohydrates like sugar, are processed quickly and cause blood sugar to spike and inevitably crash. As blood sugar crashes so does our energy, so case in point remove yourself from simple carbs and work towards consuming more complex carbs such as whole grains.

We all realize that the transition away from “Sugar” will be a difficult journey, but may this article be a resource towards pointing you in a healthier direction, well, then that would be fantastic.